


A Happy Christmas

by Kaiel



Series: Family is a choice [3]
Category: Doctor Who, The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/F, Found Family, Gift Giving, M/M, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:41:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28328445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaiel/pseuds/Kaiel
Summary: Jon celebrates his first Christmas on the TARDIS.
Relationships: Georgie Barker/Melanie King, Jon Sims/Martin Blackwood
Series: Family is a choice [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701502
Comments: 18
Kudos: 108





	A Happy Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> This won’t make sense if you haven’t read the first work in this series. Like- at all. 
> 
> That said, it may be a little late, but here’s a fun Christmas piece, I don’t even celebrate Christmas, but it always seems like such a warm holiday, so happy holidays everyone!

The Doctor had gone off the visit with some of her human friends, and Jon had been dropped off with some of  his  human friends. It wasn’t that the Doctor didn’t trust him on his own but as she had said- “Jon I’m hundreds of years older than you and  I  can’t stay out of trouble, how could I possibly expect my son to stay out of trouble at less than a century!?”

Jon had tried to protest that genetics didn’t really work that way, and that just because he was a a minor didn’t mean he needed a babysitter. But Martin had just looked at him and said “Jon in the last four years you’ve been kidnapped like eight times.” Which, was true but really Martin didn’t have to  say  it. 

Normally Jon would have been left with Martin himself, but even Martin needed some space every once in a while, and now that they were living in the TARDIS they never spent a moment apart, so he had been dropped off at a specialty mud spa on Distion 3. Which was how Jon found himself at Georgie and Melanie’s for the day. They weren’t the worst babysitters he supposed, the teasing was never as bad as he prepared himself for, and Melanie mostly used his youthful status as an excuse to play children’s games. Which were actually a great deal of fun, not that Jon would never admit it. Though he suspected Georgie knew. 

Today though, Jon had a problem. He didn’t know what to do about Christmas. He had never really celebrated it growing up- not religiously at least, and while his grandmother would usually give him something small and practical, like socks or perhaps a new coat when they could afford it. He didn’t have the same sort of emotional attachment to it as other people. 

Martin though, Martin had never really gotten to celebrate it properly, it had always been a deeply painful time for him, and Jon knew that Martin had always desperately wanted to celebrate the holiday the way it was in the hallmark movies. That’s what Jon got for falling in love with a poet he supposed. 

Martin at least, was simple though. Jon had set up a small Christmas tree in their room, and Martin’s rewarding smile had been more than worth the hassle of keeping the Marquis out of the branches. Gift giving was more difficult, but Jon had known what he wanted to give Martin for a while already. With the Doctors help it hadn’t been difficult to acquire. 

The Doctor herself on the other hand... what do you get an immortal alien? She celebrated the holiday more as a fun bonding experience with her humans than for any real personal benefit. Gallifrey wasn’t exactly known for its fun family friendly festivities after all. 

She could go anywhere be anywhen, so what could Jon possibly get her that might mean anything at all? It wasn’t like he could take a special trip in the TARDIS to find her something either. She had been giving him lessons sure, but he still couldn’t fly it alone, and he certainly wouldn’t have been allowed to wander an alien world by himself until he was “at least 200” which, he supposed was fair enough. 

Martin hadn’t been much help either, since he was of the opinion that it would be more special if Jon came up with the idea himself, Jon could recall their conversation in painfully explicit detail. 

“Jon, I know you too well- if I come up with an idea for you, you’ll never be satisfied with it.” Martin had remarked with a laugh. Jon hated that he was right. 

Which left him with one option, ask someone  else  for an idea. 

“Please Georgie you’ve got to help me. I have no idea what to get her and besides which the only time I have a chance to gift shop is when I get dropped off for a visit!” 

“Jon I’m sure anything you get her she will love. I’ve seen the way you two do your whole-“ she waved a hand, “mind meld thing, she dotes on you, you can do no wrong in her eyes.” 

“That’s- that’s hardly the point.” Jon argued. “It’s, that’s precisely  why  I want to get her something, special.” He said ignoring the heat in his cheeks.

“Aww.” Melanie said and looked like she was about to get up and start pinching his cheeks. The Marquis sensing his distress puffed her feathers up in his defence and Melanie just laughed. 

“It’s sweet that you want to get her something Jon, but maybe you should try and make something instead? I mean, didn’t you disassemble a toaster and turn it into an actual hoverboard with Daisy last month?” Georgie said. 

“Which I’m still mad you didn’t call me for!” Melanie cut in. Georgie rolled her eyes fondly at her girlfriend. 

“But really Jon, just make her something, it will mean a lot more anyway.” 

“Yeah! We have some glitter glue around her somewhere and some macaroni- you could make her a ‘best mom ever card’” Melanie teased. Jon glared but there wasn’t any heat to it. He had been slowly learning to enjoy some of the more childish activities and while he still felt silly sometimes, the smile that the Doctor gave him when he would indulge made it that little bit easier. 

***

They did end up making macaroni art. Jon was pretty sure the glitter was never going to come out of his hair, but it  had  been fun. However, a silly bit of childish art work still didn’t really fit the bill of what he wanted to do. Which was why Jon was wandering the halls of the TARDIS as Martin slept and the Doctor tinkered to try and gain some inspiration.

He wasn’t really paying attention to where he was going, letting the ships gentle hum in his mind guide his steps, when he came across an unfamiliar room. He knew as soon as he set foot inside that it was one of the rooms that the TARDIS didn’t allow the human companions access too. It was utterly filled with miscellaneous gallifreyan artifacts. 

There was one though, that immediately caught Jon’s attention. It was half covered under a dust sheet, but the shape was unmistakeable. Jon could recall his adopted sister on Galifrey playing it so tenderly.

He tugged the dust cover off to get a better look. It was beautiful. The crystalline lights that danced through the instrument still hummed with a faint energy and when Jon reached out to touch it a clear ringing tone met his fingers, like it was eager to be played. 

Like most time lord technology the providia was grown rather than made, and especially the older ones developed something of a personality over time. Often times preventing certain people from playing them entirely. 

Jon reverently slipped it over his shoulder allowing his fingers to rest on it, poised to play. Time flowed strangely over the providia and Jon knew he’d never be able to play it without some serious assistance. But it was an old instrument, and Jon could feel that it had many songs it would like to share still. Another clear note rang out as his finger caressed it. 

Jon took a deep breath and gently proved at it with his mind. 

“Oh.” He breathed out in surprise. “Hello.” Playing it was as much like a conversation with the TARDIS as it was like playing an earth instrument. He would share an emotion and it would answer in clear ringing tones, some so deep they were felt more than heard, and some that rang out in colours that he couldn’t have hoped to describe. By the end of the night Jon had tears streaming down his face, but he wasn’t sad. It was just an overwhelming feeling of belonging. 

***

When Christmas morning finally dawned some weeks later Jon woke up hours before Martin, practically vibrating with excitement. When Martin finally began to stir Jon woke him with a kiss. 

“Good morning.”

“Good-“ Martin yawned. “Good morning to you too. Happy Christmas.” Martin plucked a flower from his hair and tucked it behind Jon’s ear and Jon felt his cheeks warm as he smiled at Martin. 

“Happy Christmas Martin.” He said warmly. Jon shifted just enough to grab the parcel he had stashed behind himself, and passed the brightly coloured box to Martin. 

“Gifts before breakfast?” Martin said with a laugh. 

“I couldn’t wait that long.” Jon said with a smile. Martin sat up and excitedly tore into the package. Inside was an assortment of items, and Jon barely waited for Martin to pull them out before launching into an explanation. 

“The journal is for your poetry, and in case we spend time apart- it’s, um, it’s traditional to record events in case we meet up at different points in each other’s timelines.” 

“Thank you Jon.” Martin said smiling, carefully putting it to the side. 

“And, and the watch is actually a personalized shield device, I, well the Doctor helped me make it, it should deflect any kind of energy type attack that we may encounter. Not, not that I’m expecting that it’s just that-“

“That’s very sweet Jon.” Martin said giving Jon a kiss on the nose as he slid the watch on. “And what’s this?” He asked pulling out the last item, it was a ring that appeared to be made entirely of diamond. Jon couldn’t quite meet his eyes as he took a deep breath. 

“It’s, um, it’s not an engagement ring.” Jon began. 

“Ok,” Martin laughed, “it’s not an engagement ring.”

“It’s, well, I love you Martin. M- marriage is a very serious thing on Galifrey though, and I, I don’t think either of us are ready for that. Not to mention, we are both too young. But, it’s, it’s something like a promise ring? There’s, courtship between people who are so long lived can be a very long process; this, is- it’s my commitment to you, it-“ here Jon pulled the ring out of the box to properly show to Martin. “It has my name and family crest engraved into it, and I, I grew the crystal myself- with the TARDIS’s help of course I-“ Jon was interrupted by Martin’s lips on his. “Oh.” He breathed out. “Do, do you like it then?” 

“Jon I love it.” Martin turned them and grabbed a different package and thrust it into Jon’s arms. “Here! Open yours next.” 

Jon carefully sliced through the tape, unwilling to tear the paper, and pulled out a few pairs of soft hand knit socks, and- a green crystalline ring, made out of what appeared to be emerald. 

“I, I asked the Doctor to help me make it for you.” Martin said, Jon could see, engraved into it, was Martin’s name in old high Gallifreyan script. He looked up in shock. They were both crying now, and Jon couldn’t help but start to laugh as he threw his arms around his boyfriend. 

“Thank you. It’s, it’s beautiful.” Jon said into Martin’s shoulder. 

The next thing they needed to do was hunt down the Doctor. Martin grabbed another brightly wrapped parcel.

“She’s in the library.” Jon said, feeling out along their bond. “I’ll meet you there I need to grab something first.”

Jon left to retrieve the providia, and entered the library to the Doctors delighted exclamations over the hand knitted fingerless gloves Martin had made for her with some specialty yarn he had found off world. (They lit up when you clapped.) 

Martin had his very own TARDIS key hung around his neck and a sample package of plant person consumable dirt, along with a new sun lamp- that was actually a miniature sun. 

“Jon! What took you so long!” She called out as he entered, the providia covered in a nondescript carrying case. He had been trying to talk himself up- he was deeply deeply nervous. He hadn’t even told Martin what he was planning. 

“I’m here now.” He said with a nervous laugh. 

“Here!” The Doctor said bounding over to him, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she passed him a brightly wrapped package. “Open mine first!” Jon set the providia down and carefully unwrapped the gift. Inside was a sonic screwdriver, a universal ID card, and an adoption certificate 

“The certificate is from Earth, I actually did the paper work too- no cheating. You are officially my son in your own time too. Same with the universal ID no psychic paper. Properly registered and everything. You’re here to stay. And the screwdriver is a proper sonic one- made it myself. It should be able to interact with the nanites in your blood and do all kinds of neat tricks too!” She said. 

“Th-thank you.” Jon squeaked out, overwhelmed, both by the gifts and the rush of love an affection that surged through their bond. 

“Oh! And!” The Doctor dig around in her pocket a moment before pulling out a fake mouse. “For the Marquis du Ferret!” The small dragon took flight off of Jon’s shoulder and attacked the mouse in delight, and they all laughed at her excited calls.

“Well, um, first- my, well blame Georgie and Melanie for this one.” Jon said with a self conscious laugh as he passed her an envelope that leaked glitter on the floor. The Doctor gave a delighted laugh at the macaroni art page- the macaroni had been carefully crushed and placed in a mosaic pattern spelling out their combined family crests.

“I love it!” She said, and Jon knew from their bond that she had every intent to hang it on the fridge. He blushed deeply. Then took a deep breath.

“I- my real gift for you is, well your incredibly hard to shop for.” Jon said. “I, why don’t you both sit down?” Jon fidgeted nervously as he spoke, and he slowly retrieved the providia from its case. He heard a sharp intake of breath from the Doctor as she saw the instrument, but Jon was too nervous to look up. 

The providia thrummed gently as he slipped his arm through it, and began to pour out his emotions for the Doctor into the song. When he had finished there were tears streaming down the faces of everyone in the room. 

“I never thought that I would hear that played again.” The Doctor said softly. “My, my granddaughter Susan used to play, but I never could. Thank you Jon. It was beautiful.”

When her arms wrapped around Jon then, it was like coming home. Soon Martin’s arms were added to the mix, and the Marquis not wanted to be left out perched on top of Jon’s head. The TARDIS hummed in the back of his mind and Jon finally knew, what a happy Christmas felt like. 


End file.
